With the Rising Moon
by grrawr
Summary: From when the four Marauders were still at Hogwarts. A young Remus Lupin finds himself friends, and perhaps something more. I'm sorry I'm horrible at summaries. Oneshot. Thanks to my wonderful betas unsuspected and purplecrown14.


_Parents shouldn't fight. _I thought to myself, _especially not on birthdays_.

"He's too young," I heard my mother cry from behind her bedroom door, "We can't let him, John, we can't."

"Well what're we supposed to do?" my father roared back, "Keep him in this house forever?"

"No, but- but what will happen to him when…what if he hurts somebody," my mother sobbed. I heard the bed creak as she sat down.

"The headmaster assured that he could take care of him, in fact, he encouraged it," My father reassured her, "We have to let go of him sometime, love."

She mournfully agreed, then sniffled a few times before getting up. "He'll be awake soon," she said in a strange voice, "I best make him his favorite breakfast, it's not every day your son turns eleven."

I shrunk back from the wall, ran to my room as quietly as possible, and lay on my bed. _Headmaster? Too young? Eleven? Breakfast?_ The thoughts whirled round in my head as I tried to make sense of it all. The bedroom door opened as my parents streamed in, brandishing a warm stack of pancakes and sausage. "Happy birthday, dear Remus, happy birthday to you," they crooned. I beamed up at them. "Wait, I almost forgot," my mother gasped, pulling a letter out of her apron and handing it to me. I looked at the seal and suddenly remembered what was so important about turning eleven- Hogwarts.

September first rolled around, and there I was at King's Cross, waiting anxiously for the Hogwarts Express to arrive. I craned my neck to try and catch a glimpse of the train. "That won't help any, Ree," my dad chuckled. My mother just smiled, a little palely, but loving all the same.

A long goodbye meant that I was one of the last students to board the train. "Oh, I'm sorry," I apologized, nearly running into a red-haired girl and a thin, sallow boy as they stormed out of a compartment. I looked inside to see two boys my age chatting amicably. After a moment of hesitation, I slid the door open. "Mind if I join you?" I asked.

"You're definitely an improvement over the last bloke," a messy haired boy in glasses remarked, smiling. I lit up at the prospect of friends and sat down. "James Potter." he said, holding out his hand.

"Remus Lupin." I replied shaking it.

"And I'm Sirius," added the boy next to him, who was lounging on the seat at ease, "I figured I ought to introduce myself, seeing as James is too big-headed to mention anyone else." I laughed and shook his hand, flushing slightly at the contact, but pushed the thought from my head. He smiled warmly as my pulse began to quicken. _You're just excited about Hogwarts_, I told myself, _its just anxiety_.

We fell into a sort of silence for a while, but my lack of friends in the past propelled me to strike up a conversation. "I hope I'm in Gryffindor," I began, "I-I don't think I'm brave enough to get in though. I'm afraid I might end up in Hufflepuff. That's alright though, just as long as I'm not a bloody Slytherin." I looked over at Sirius, hoping to see him smile once more.

"My entire family's been in Slytherin," he replied, glancing out the window. My face fell as I cursed my tongue, and I became increasingly obsessed with my chocolate frog wrapper. "Oh no, it's alright though," Sirius added hastily, noticing my disappointment, "I hope I'll be in Gryffindor too."

James smiled, "Where the brave at heart dwell!" he cried triumphantly, then returned to his pumpkin pasty.

Sirius leaned towards me, ignoring the dark hair that fell gracefully over his eyes. "You better be in Gryffindor with me, all right?" I nodded my head; he could have asked for the moon and I would've gotten it for him. _Oh, the irony._ Sirius smiled and leaned back, leaving me desperately hoping to be sorted into Gryffindor.

xXxXx

My knees shook as the sorting began. Sirius was among the first. He walked up confidently, and after a moment's delay, the cry of "Gryffindor!" brought cheers from the resulting house. I was so nervous that I hardly paid attention. "Lupin, Remus." I stumbled up to the front and had the Sorting Hat placed on my head. Perhaps it didn't sort me at all? What if it only sorted- the call of "Gryffindor!" fully assuaged my fears. I smiled happily and scrambled down from the stool. Looking up, I caught Sirius's eye as he motioned me over and made room on the bench between him and the red haired girl from the train. I laughed shyly and sat down. After doing so, Sirius laid his arms on my shoulders and pulled me back so my head was even with his. "I knew you had it in you," he whispered quietly in my ear. I peeked up at him and saw him return my smile with a spark in his eyes. I grinned once more to myself and leaned back into him for the rest of the sorting.

xXxXx

The first full moon came in the third week of September. I asked my dorm mate James, who I'd met my first day on the Hogwarts Express, if I could borrow his invisibility cloak. We'd all grown close during the first few weeks, James, Peter, Sirius, and I, and James was more than happy to oblige.

"Ooooh going to meet a girrrl?" James taunted.

"No, I…erm," I stuttered, not wanting to risk my newfound friendships with the truth. After all, would they really want to be friends with a monster?

"Ah, leave him alone James," Sirius called from his corner of the room, "Besides, if he wants to tell us, he'll tell us," he added, getting up from his bed and slinging his arm around my neck, "Right Lu?" I smiled at Sirius's unabashed use of the ridiculous nickname he'd given me.

"Of course," I said softly, "you guys are the best friends I've ever had."

James laughed, his green eyes dancing, "Wow, three weeks and I've already got an admirer."

"Hey, hands off Potter," Sirius mock sneered, "he's mine!" The words echoed throughout in my ears; I peeked at Sirius to see the flush mirrored in his face as he looked at me expectantly. I smiled up at him hopefully.

"Alright, alright, just admit it Remus," James said, pushing us apart, "I'm your favorite."

"Oh of course," Peter cried, "Just cause all the girls throw themselves at you doesn't mean the guys will too." Sirius and I roared with laughter at Peter's brazen remark.

"Oi, didn't you need to get somewhere?" James replied, his cheeks a bright red.

I gasped and looked outside. The sun had nearly set, and the moon would be up shortly. "Thanks a ton!" I cried as I ran out the door, James's cloak flapping behind me. I slipped the cloak over my head, and made my way for an abandoned hut outside of Hogsmeade. The transformation was horrible; turning into a werewolf was quite painful. My isolation meant that there weren't any humans to bite, but the need to harm was overwhelming, so I bit and scratched myself instead, howling with agony at each new wound.

A few days later, I emerged from the hut, weak from exhaustion and loss of blood. Still under the safety of the invisibility cloak, I made my way to the Gryffindor dorms and slipped quietly into bed, pretending as though I had been there the entire night. An hour later, the bright sun penetrated my curtains and I was forced to get out of bed. "Oi, Remus!" James called, "Where were you the last few nights?"

"Oh, uh, well, my mother was ill," I said, trying to project false confidence in my voice, "I-I had to go home and visit her." James and Peter softened, and patted my arm comfortingly, but Sirius looked at me, and raised an eyebrow questioningly. I looked away quickly, afraid that I might tell him.

"Lu, what is it?" he asked, sidling up close to me.

"It's, it's nothing," I said, lying back on my bed and closing my eyes. I felt the bed dip as he lay down next to me.

"You can tell me, y'know?" Sirius promised, using one hand to prop himself up and the other to rub my shoulder.

"I know, I know," I whispered, turning and burying my head in his shoulder.

xXxXx

Despite their pranks and numerous run-ins with trouble, by our second year, James and Sirius seemed to have everyone under their spell. "Ey, Lu!" Sirius called. I looked up from under the oak tree by the lake and saw him grinning devilishly. He whispered a few words then waved his wand as two younger girls who had been walking were lifted into the air.

"Sirius Black!" one girl cried, "You let us down this instant!" I remembered suddenly that her name was Emily.

"Not until you agree to go out with me," he called back good-naturedly. She shook her head furiously, to which he shrugged and began to walk away. The other girl's eyes seemed to pop out of her head, and she jabbed her friend angrily.

"Alright, alright, I'll go out with you!" she agreed huffily, as he gently set both girls down.

Part of me wondered why anyone would refuse Sirius, while the other felt a gnawing loneliness grow. Much of James' time was being devoted to trying to impress a fellow Gryffindor, a red-headed girl in our year named Lily Evans. First James, now Sirius; who would I lose next? My name fell from Sirius's lips, drawing me out of my thoughts and back to reality. "…and I'm sure Remus would be more than happy to accompany Mary." He looked back at me and grinned, as I forced a smile onto my face. He turned back around as I returned to my book. "Good news," he chirped, flopping down next to me, and grabbing my book, "We have a date next Saturday."

My stomach flipped at the thought, until I remembered that he meant he and Emily had a date, as did Mary and I. "Great," I smiled.

He looked up at me thoughtfully, "You okay Lu? You seem…a bit off. You've gotten awfully pale," he mused, pushing up my sleeve and comparing my skin with his own.

"Maybe I'm just stressed," I offered hopefully, fully aware that my transformation was coming up.

"Stressed, eh?" Sirius asked, a gleam in his eye, "I know the perfect way to relieve stress." With great flourish, he grabbed a scrap of parchment from his robes. "Ta-dah," he cried, obviously very proud of himself.

"But there's nothing there," I laughed, "Have you gone insane?"

He looked down to see that I was right. "Oh, right," he murmured, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Ink sprang from the depths of the page, filling in the previously blank parchment, as it revealed the details of his next great prank.

"Blimey."

xXxXx

Everything had gone according to plan, and Snape was well on his way to being publicly humiliated, when Malfoy stepped in. "Fifty points from Gryffindor," he sneered as he let the younger Slytherin away, "And two weeks detention."

Sirius groaned, "We'll miss our dates." I tried to look disappointed. "Oh well," he said after a moment, leaning his head against mine, "at least we'll have each other."

"And James too," I added, "Knowing him, he'll probably have gotten at least a week by then."

Sirius's grin grew, "You're right, Lu. Heck, it'll be more like a party than detention." I smiled back, concealing my concern, after all, how could I attend detention with a full moon on the rise?

The next morning, our appetite was slightly soiled by the appearance of Lucius Malfoy. "You've been excused from detention, Lupin. Black, you've still got two weeks, but I ought to make it three for hanging out with this lot. I expect you'll have detention by the end of the week Potter, and Pettigrew, do you ever stop being such a bumbling fool?"

All four of us stepped forward to defend ourselves, Peter a bit weaker than the rest of us, but still a true Gryffindor. "Oh, sod off Malfoy," James cried as Malfoy sneered and walked away.

"**You** got detention Remus?" Peter asked incredulously. I smiled proudly; I'd always been seen as the good one in our group.

"Apparently not anymore," Sirius chimed in, "How'd you get out of it?"

"Erm. No idea," I said, trying to look puzzled. I wasn't about to tell them that I'd gone to Dumbledore and asked to let me change the date, and I certainly couldn't tell them my secret. "Maybe he's got a crush on me?"

My friends laughed as I tried to mock Malfoy's pompous glares. "I wouldn't blame 'im," Sirius said, slinging his arm around my neck as he ruffled James and Peter's hair. "C'mon, we better hurry before all the food's gone."

I tried to ignore the fluttering sensation in my stomach as we walked to the Great Hall, and joined in on the jokes and laughter.

xXxXx

Later that second year, Sirius, James, and Peter found out my secret, and although Sirius was upset that I'd lied, our strong friendship meant that they were okay with it.

"Now this is just a test batch," Dumbledore told me, "They haven't quite perfected it, and there are side effects so-"

"Professor, professor!" Sirius burst through Dumbledore's office door, panting and out of breath, "Is it true? Have they really made a Wolfsbane Potion? Do you think it'll-" Dumbledore cut him off with a glance.

"Have a seat Mister Black," he said, motioning to the chair beside me. Sirius looked around for the first time and saw me, his eyes widening in understanding. "As I was telling your friend, it is merely a trial batch, and not for mass consumption. At best, it will truly be available in five to ten years." Sirius's mouth fell open in protest, "I understand your concern, Sirius, but there is nothing we can do."

"But you're Dumbledore!" he protested, "You can do anything!"

"It's alright, I'll be fine," I promised, patting his knee. He covered my hand with his.

"You shall try the potion this coming weekend," Dumbledore said, "and since you're so concerned," He added, looking at Sirius, "perhaps you'd like to help. The potion needs to be administered by someone else, as other patients have found it difficult to finish without assistance. Would you-"

"Yes," he blurted out, "If it'll help Moony, I'll do whatever I can," He squeezed my hand gently, sending blood to my face as I tried to will the butterflies away.

"I see the Sorting Hat was correct in placing you in Gryffindor," remarked Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling, "now young Remus must finish the entire thing," Dumbledore instructed, handing him a flask, "No matter what, he must drink it all." Sirius nodded, looking as nervous as I felt, "You two are to go to the normal place tomorrow, but if the plan is unsuccessful, you must get out of there Sirius, or you shall be in grave danger." I grabbed nervously at my robe, until Sirius frowned and tugged it out of my grasp. "Do you understand?"

"Yes professor," he agreed.

"And Remus, you are sure you want to do this?" Dumbledore asked, "It is still an experimental potion, and may be highly dangerous." I nodded quietly. "Alright then, you both may go."

"You didn't have to agree, y'know" I said quietly, once we'd made it out of Dumbledore's office.

"Of course I did," Sirius added cheerfully, "What're best friends for?"

The next night, we made our way to the small house outside of Hogsmeade. "Blimey," Sirius remarked, "This is where you go to transform?" I nodded in reply, "But isn't it haunted? I thought that's why it's called the Shrieking Shack,"

I laughed, "The villagers heard the noise during my transformations and thought they were hearing spirits. Dumbledore of course, encouraged it all to prevent people from coming up here." We walked inside and sat down. "I-I guess I better take the potion then." He uncorked the flask and handed it to me. "Cheers," I said grimly, then lifted the bottle to my lips. The potion stung like fire and it took all my restraint to keep myself from spitting it out. "I can't, I can't," I cried, pushing the flask away.

"No, no Lu, you have to," Sirius said as he rubbed my back, "Just one more sip,"

I took a breath, and then drank from the bottle once more. Each breath I took was strained as I felt a stabbing pressure on my lungs. "Please Sirius, please," I begged

"Just once more," he pleaded, pushing the flask to my lips. I screamed in pain as my insides burned then froze in an unwavering cycle.

"No, no, no, don't do this to me Sirius," I cried, clutching his wrists desperately.

"This'll make it better, Lu," he told me, "Try it, it'll be alright," I eagerly grasped the flask as he tilted the potion into my mouth. Instead, the pain swelled, increasing tenfold. "Just one more drop and you'll be done," Sirius said, looking into the nearly empty flask.

"No, Sirius, don't do this to me," I screamed, my head pounding.

"I'm sorry Lu," he said, before wrenching my mouth open and pouring the remainder inside. I felt as though my skin was being peeled off, as a fire consumed me and my head reeled. "I'm sorry," Sirius whispered one last time, resting his head on my back.

"Has…has the moon…" I asked in a voice that was not my own. Sirius looked out the window then shook his head. "You'd better leave then," I whispered, "Just in case…"

Sirius shook his head defiantly. "I'm not leaving."

"Yes but what if-"

"I'm not leaving." He repeated, sitting down, as if to emphasize his point.

I felt a stabbing pain in my side and hobbled over to the window- the moon was beginning to rise. "Get out of here!" I screamed, already starting to lose control of my emotions.

"I won't leave you here to suffer on your own." Sirius said.

"I've done it before, and I'll do it again. I- I won't be able to control myself; I may bite you without a second thought. Don't take that risk." I urged him, the pain of the transformation already starting to overcome me.

"Remus, I -" A scream erupted from my mouth as the power of the moon began to take over.

"Get. Out." I hissed angrily, running into the next room. I snarled as my head broadened and howled as my body grew and shoulders caved in. The pain was familiar, but frightening all the same. I knew without looking in the mirror that my face and hands had grown hair as they stretched and the latter curled into clawed paws.

I paced the room as I had done so many times before, but felt no aggression, no need to attack. Had the potion actually worked? _I couldn't test it out on Sirius_, I told myself, _no, I couldn't. Besides, he'd probably already left. I'm sure I would have too. _I edged out of the room. To my surprise, Sirius lay on the couch, his eyes half closed. "Lu?" he called, not opening his eyes. "Is that you?" It would have been so easy for me to rush forward and bite his throat and devour him in seconds, but I had no urge to.

"Y-yes," I replied shakily.

He opened his eyes and smiled, "It…it worked," he whispered in astonishment.

"I don't know for how long though," I replied, "You should leave. I could snap at any moment."

"When are you going to get it through your head Lu?" he laughed, "I'm not going to leave you, not for anything." I smiled as he scooted over on the couch. "C'mon, you look like you need your rest."

I awoke the next morning to see that sometime during the night, I'd rolled into Sirius and tangled my hand in his hair. My now-human legs were intertwined with his and his arm snaked around my waist. Thankful that he was still asleep, I blushed furiously, but did not try to pull away, for fear that he might wake up.

As I lay next to Sirius, his soft snores the only sound in the empty shack, I slowly realized that I had fallen for him. Whether it had been from his kindness first time we met, his loyalty last night, or something else along the way, I wasn't sure. All I knew was that with Sirius by my side, everything was going to be alright.


End file.
